?5 


Our  triumph  / 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #697 

DTTDblOM?- 


*^  »fcr  ^ 


SOLDIERS'  TRACT  ASSOCIATION,  \  Ko.  79. 

Richmond,  Va.,  / 


OUR  TRIUMPH, 


BY    THE    AUTHOR    OF    "THE    COUNTERSiaN." 


Brethren  of  the  Confederate  Armj/ : — I  humbly  hope  and 
pray  that  at  do  very  distant  day,  a  triumph  glorious  and  deci- 
sive awaits  our  cause,  that  gentle  peace  with  all  its  attendant 
blessings  will  smile  upon  our  land,  and  the  lovely  sisters 
liberty  and  independence  will  take  up  their  abodes  in  our 
midst;  then  our  agony  of  strife  and  glory  passed,  our  coun- 
try purified  by  her  trials  and  sulFcrings,  made  wiser,  better 
and  holier  by  her  chastisements,  will  start  afresh  in  her  ca- 
reer, and  ''  like  a  city  set  upon  a  hill,"  fulfill  her  God- 
given  mission  to  exalt  in  civilization  and  Christianity  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth. 

Then  the  sword  and  the  musket  which  you  grasped  with 
the  stern  vow  that  you  would  never  lay  them  down  until  we 
were  free,  will  be  laid  aside,  and  in  their  stead  you  will  take 
up  the  bloodless  implements  of  peace;  the  clang  of  the  ham- 
mer on  the  anvil,-  the  cheerful  noise  of  the  busy  shuttle  as  it 
flies  quickly  through  the  loom,  "  the  plowman  talking  to  his 
steers,"  wiil  take  the  place  of  the  sharp  stern  notes  of  com- 
mand, the  drum's  furious  beat  ami  the  shrill  scream  of  the 
fife;  ''the  watch-dog's  honest  bark,"  the  hen  clucking  to  her 
infant  brooJ,  the  sweet  notes  of  the  forest  songsters,  and  all 
those  untold  sounds  that  unite  to  make  the  music  of  home, 
will  greet  your  ears  instead  of  the  roar  of  cannon,  the  groans 
and  shrieks  of  wounded  and  dying  comrades. 

Then  a  grateful  nation  will  unite  in  praising  and  thanking 
cur  coble  Leexand  Davis,  and  those  gallant  spirits  wh©  have 


2  Our  TriumpJi. 

led  us  to  victory  and  independence,  and  you  too  shall  receive 
your  meed  of  prai.se  as  having  assisted  in  this  glorious  work. 
Tbis  may  couie ;  I  humbly  hope  and  pray  that  it  may;  I  be- 
lieve that  it  will.  }Jut  while  you  may,  and  I  believe  and 
hope  you  will,  share  in  this  triumph  of  our  arms,  let  me  ask 
if  you  will  share  in  that  jilorious  triumph  which  assuredly 
will  come,  "  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it," 
when  the  Church  of  the  living  God,  new  Jerusalem,  all  of 
her  enemies  under  her  feet,  arrayed  in  her  beautiful  garments, 
shakes  herself  from  the  dust  and  goes  forth  to  meet  her  De- 
liverer. 

Who  is  to  partake  of  this  triumph  of  our  arms?  Is  it  he 
who  though  as  able  to  endure  as  others,  yet  fought  his  battles 
by  proxy  ?  Is  it  he  who,  when  the-battle  raged,  sought  to 
cover  his  faint  heartedness  with  the  surgeon's  certificate  ?  Is 
it  he  who  with  a  dishonored  furlough  in  his  pocket,  was  at 
home,  when  our  best  and  bravest  were  pouting  out  their  life- 
blood  in  defence  of  our  country  ? 

It  is  for  none  of  these.  No;  the  triumph  is  for  liini  fur 
whom  home  had  no  joys,  so  long  as  the  foot  of  the  invader 
pressed  our  soil,  who  with  the  folds  of  the  red  cross  fluttering 
over  his  head,  with  Dfo  Vindice  flapping  in  his  ejes,  gave 
himself  to  God  and  his  country,  and  followed  where  duty 
led,  even  should  it  be  to  the  death.  I  trust  that  many  who 
read  these  pages  will  feel  a  heart-thrill  as  they  read  these 
words  a^  exclaim,  '^  Yes,  I  have  done  this;  I  have  done  my 
duty."  I  congratulate  you,  my  friend,  my  brother  Confede- 
rate, and  could  I  grasp  your  hand,  with  swelling  heart,  and 
brimming  eye,  I  would  thank  you  for  tllus  nobly  having 
fought  MY  battles. 

But  will  you,  my  friend,  suffer  a  word  of  exhortation  on  a 
subject  still  m#i-e  important?  Have  you  also  fought  the  bat- 
tles of  Christ,  and  will  you  share  in  the  triumph  which  awaits 
Lis  followers?  Have  you  denied  yourself  all  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts  ?  Have  you  believed  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
that  you  might  be  saved  ? 

Now  in  order  to  partake  of  the  triumph  of  Christ,  you 
must  be  one  of  his  soldiers.  First  comes  the  life  of  faith, 
the  life  of  probation  and  trial,  then  the  life  of  enjoyment  and 
reward.  In  order  to  "  lay  hold  on  eternal  life/'  you  must 
"  fight  tke  good  fight  of  faith." 


Oar  Triumph,  3 

Do  not  complain  that  you  cannot  enlist  in  His  service. — 
Ho  calls  you  by  His  Spirit,  by  His  providence,  and  His  word 
is  ever  saying/^  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of 
life  freely." 

Above  all,  let  the  great  central  truth  of  the  scriptures,  that 
God,  "for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,"  "sent 
"Lis  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins,"  touch  your 
heart;  see  Jesus  dying,  "the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God,"  and  then  doubt  if  you  can,  God's 
willingness  to  save  you. 

He  has  sent  your  chaplains — his  recruiting  officers — -to  in- 
vite you  to  enlist  in  his  service.  He  has  had  His  witnesses 
among  you;  Stonewall  Jackson  yielding  up  his  great  soul, 
exclaiming,  "It  is  all  right,"  while  on  iMalvern's  blood- 
stained hill  John  Stewart  Walker  dies  with  "  Duty"  upon  his 
lips,  and  Gregg,  and  Cobb,  and  Harrison,  their  battles  all 
over,  have  gone  to  join  in  the  triumph  of  their  great  Captain. 

My  friend,  my  brother  our  triumph,  when  the  war  is  over, 
will  I  trust  be  glorious,  but  how  much  more  glorious  will  be 
the  triumph  of  Christ  and  of  those  who  partake  of  it?  No 
tongue  can  tell,  no  pencil  portray  the  glory  then  to  be  revealed. 

We  know  that  once  when  mortal  eyes  saw  Jesus  in  glory, 
his  face  shone  like  the  sun — that  his  raiment  was  white  as  the 
light — that  so  excellent  was  the  glory,  so  transporting  the 
heavenly  happiness  which  filled  each  hfart,  that  His  disciples 
said,  "It  is  good  for  us  to  be  here,"  that  they  felt  as  if  they 
never  wished  to  return  to  earth  again.  We  know  that  He 
has  said,  "  Father  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  mc  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  my 
glory  which  thou  hast  given  me."  We  know  that  we  shall 
not  only  see,  but  also  be  partakers  of  that  glory,  for  the  scrip- 
tures tell  us,  "  We  know  that  when  he  shall  appear  we  shall 
be  like  Him  :  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is."  We  know 
too  that  before  an  assembled  universe  the  lips  of  Jesus  shall 
speak  words  .of  commendation  and  praise  to  us  and  His  hand 
so  gentle  yet  so  strong,  so  firm  yet  so  tender.  His  hand  once 
torn  by  the  cruel  nail  for  our  sakes,  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  our  eyes. 

Confederate  soldier,  may  our  Heavenly  Father  grant,  for 
Christ's  sake,  that  I  who  write  and  you  who  read  may  par- 
take of  this  happy  triumph. 


-4  Our  Triumph. 

Oh  !  God,  grant  that  thy  blessing  without  which  all  labor 
is  vain,  may  accompany  these  lines;  may  they  be  a  blessing 
to  him  who  wrote  and  to  those  wlio  read  them.  Blessed  Jesus, 
may  the  memory  of  thy  dying  love,  of  thy  coming  triumph 
which  is  to  be  glorious  and  eternal,  constrain  men  to  turn  to 
thee,  that  they  may  be  partakers  thereof.  Holy  Spirit,  shed 
thy  holy  and  blessed  iutlnences  ou  the  pages  of  this  little 
tract,  and  may  it  be  as  a  light  to  many  who  sit  in  darkness 
to  briupi;  th^^m  \o  Jesus.  And  to  God,  the  Father,  Son  and 
ever  blessed  Spirit,  shall  all  the  glory  be  ascribed.     Amen. 

•'  I  the  good  figlit  liave  fought," 

0  when  sliall  I  dcchire! 
The  vict'ry  by  my  Saviour  got 

1  long  with  Paul  to  share. 

0  may  I  triumph  so, 

When  ail  my  warfare's  past; 
And  dying  find  my  latest  foe 
t         Under  my  feet  at  last. 

This  blessed  word  be  mine. 

Just  as  tlie  port  is  gain'd  ; 
"  Kept  by  the  power  of  grace  divine, 

I  have  the  faith  maintained." 


Soldiers'  Tract  Association,  M.  E.  Church,  South. 


Hollinger  Corp. 
pH8.5 


